Sticks and Stones
by Raeni12345
Summary: "I'm just trying to be sensible," Connor protested at Abby's anger.  "You've always hated him, haven't ya?" Abby accused, her voice a venemous hiss. "You'd be happy if he was dead!"
1. Connor

Hurtful words.

His heart felt torn to shreds. Deep down he knew that Abby didn't mean them. She was upset and scared. And Abby fought back against her fears with anger and harsh words.

Her brother was lost. They had come through an anomaly to find the worst possible future – London in ruins, humanity wiped out. And future predators... everywhere.

Like the large and very dangerous looking one that was now approaching, its sites set on Abby and Danny.

He had only been trying to be sensible when he had agreed with Becker and Danny. They did need help, backup, if they were going to find Abby's brother and get back out alive. Four humans, only two armed, against uncountable numbers of predators was not an equation for survival.

But when he had agreed, cast his lot with the other two instead of with her, she had turned on him. Accused him of hating her brother and wanting him dead. Words that had cut like a knife, leaving him speechless and almost breathless.

And so he stood there, with his wounded, bleeding heart still loving Abby, and realizing that if he didn't do something, didn't act quickly, she would be dead. He couldn't let that happen.

"Oi... you!"

The future predator's head snapped sharply in his direction. The cold hand of terror gripped his heart, almost numbing the pain. He turned his eyes from the predator's approach and looked over at Abby, one last time.

She stared at him, stricken.

His eyes betrayed his pain and defeat, even as he set his jaw. Everything in him wanted just one more minute – one more minute to set things right. Tell Abby that it was going to be okay. Hold her one last time. Kiss her and damn the consequences.

But there was no time. There was only time for one word. "Go." It came out wavering, spoken around a growing lump in his throat.

The predator let out a snarl, and bounded over a wall toward him, effectively blocking Abby from his sight. He took a step backward, barely containing the tremors that rocked his core, as he watched certain death coming ever closer. Another step back. And another.

The predator leapt forward again, as he backed into the darkness of the building. He knew that Becker had been somewhere behind him. And he clung to the tiniest shred of hope that Becker might be able to kill the predator before it killed both of them.

His eyes met Becker's for a split second. The soldier was standing just inside the door, his gun drawn and aimed.

The predator grasped the edge of the doorway, and lunged forward with a snarl. Becker hesitated for a second that seemed like an eternity. Then he fired – two quick shots and the predator fell dead at Connor's feet.

He took a long ragged breath, for a moment, unable to believe he was still alive. Tears of relief prickled the backs of his eyes. "Next time, don't leave it so long," he gasped out to Becker.

Then he took a single, steadying breath.

"Abby."

**AN: Let me know what you think. Reviews make my day. Constructive criticism always welcome! :)**


	2. Abby

Becker grabbed Abby's arm and leaned into her face. "I'm going to say this one last time," he stated in a hushed but unmistakeably angry tone. "Getting ourselves killed is not going to help your brother. We need a fully armed search and rescue unit!"

Abby wrenched her arm free, glaring darkly at the soldier.

"Abby, having more firepower gives us a better chance of saving your brother – that's a fact." Danny managed to keep his voice remarkably calm, trying to reason with her.

But she wouldn't be reasoned with. Her brother was out there, and they were suggesting abandoning him and going back. She wouldn't. She couldn't abandon him.

Then a third voice chimed in, and gave her a focal point for her pent-up rage. "Danny's right."

She wheeled sharply to face him, shining her flashlight directly in his face. "You too?" she said, bitingly, accusingly. How dare he betray her like this!

Connor winced. "I'm just trying to be sensible," he protested, trying to placate her.

That was it. She was alone. None of them cared. None of them cared about her. None of them cared about Jack. It had always been her and Jack against the world and now it was again. No one could be trusted. Everyone was against them.

Her mind started to spiral. If she had been somewhere safe, she would have employed one of her coping techniques to clear her mind and rein in her emotions, but there wasn't time, and it wasn't safe, and her brother was lost, and her best friend was a traitor.

He hated Jack. How could she not have seen it before?

"You've always hated him, haven't ya?" she accused him, her rage boiling over, making her oblivious to the pain that her words put in Connor's eyes. He shook his head, slightly. "You'd be happy if he was dead," she spat, the last of her control long gone.

She shoved Connor hard against the railing, and turned, half-mad with anger and panic, and ran outside.

She could hear someone call her name. She could hear the door creaking, and footsteps running after her, but she didn't stop, couldn't stop.

Until another sound turned her blood to ice and cooled her fury instantly. The only-slightly muffled snarl of a future predator. The metal door of the church flew open, and a hideous gray form emerged, emitting another growl.

She backed against Danny, backed against a wall, her heart pounding uncontrollably. But the fear served to completely clear her mind, and her survival instinct kicked in. Echolocation. It meant that they saw using sound, so they would only see shapes vaguely. So if she and Danny could mold themselves to look like a predator, it might pass them by.

She placed her hand on Danny's chest and leaned toward him, trying to mimic the predator's shape.

And for a moment the predator hesitated. Only for a moment. Then it reared up, ready to strike with its long claws. Abby braced herself for the pain of being ripped apart.

But it never came. Instead, she heard a shout. "Oi! You!"

Connor!

The predator turned instantly, and focused on the other figure's erratic heartbeat.

Abby stared in horror and shock. Connor was drawing the creature, willing to sacrifice himself if only to save her.

Her angry words, the cruelty with which she had, moments earlier, cut Connor down, instantly flooded back, and she felt the back of her eyes burning. He was going to die, and those would be her last words to him. Anguish squeezed her heart in a vice-like grip.

His eyes were always so honest. And right now, they were so full of hurt and pain and defeat. And another emotion that she didn't want to acknowledge. He was barely holding himself together as he looked at her and choked out, "Go."

Then the predator leaped forward and blocked Connor from her sight.

She stayed frozen for a second, then the urgency returned and she pushed away from Danny and began to run toward the orange car again. She thought she heard a couple of muffled shots as she ran, and she hoped and prayed that Becker had managed to kill the predator before it killed Conn.


End file.
